The royal staff has a favorite royal, and it might surprise you

By Rachel Monday, Oct 3, 2018

A royal fascination

We love the Royal Family. There’s just something about them that makes us want to know more and more so we follow their every move and listen up for every new rumor. We want to know what they’re really like, and of course, what they really think of each other. We all have a favorite member of the family, whether it’s the princes William and Harry, their lovely wives, or the adorable children. But who is the favorite among palace staff?

Newest addition

The recent Royal Wedding made headlines around the globe and drew many new fans to the famous family. Meghan Markle, the charming American actress, won over more hearts than just Prince Harry’s when she became the newest member of the Royal Family. Duchess Meghan is unique because of her heritage and modest beginnings. Many people are inspired by her fairytale story and her charm, but according to the reports, she’s not the favorite royal. So who is?

Meghan and Harry

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry began their relationship in 2016, they immediately received a great deal of attention from the public. After all, the Prince was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, and Meghan Markle was starring in the TV show Suits. The couple jumped to the spotlight and headlines about their every move were all over. The young couple were perhaps more relatable than the older, more conservative royals, and that made them the favorites of many.

William and Kate

Before Meghan and Harry were on the map, Prince William and Kate Middleton had already entered the hearts of many royal fans. Kate Middleton was reportedly shy when she first met the Prince, but they soon became friends and college sweethearts. The world was rooting for them and when they finally tied the knot in 2011, it was an event for the books. Everyone seems to love this power couple, but even so, they’re not the palace favorites either.

The little princes and princesses

Soon after Prince William and Kate Middleton were married, Kate gave birth to their first son, little Prince George, who immediately became the third in line to the throne. The cute little boy and his spotlight stealing younger sister Charlotte were hounded by the press, to the point that their parents had to write a letter asking the media to tone it back a bit. Their adorable and charming personalities have made them instant favorites as well, but apparently, the palace staff have someone else in mind.

Prince William

The oldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, and second in line for the throne, Prince William managed to keep his life mostly scandal free. Even so, the press was always hounding him, so much so that he enrolled in St. Andrews University under the name William Wales and went by the pseudonym Steve to avoid drawing attention. Now the picture of the perfect husband, father, and future king, we all admire Prince William immensely. But he’s not the one that the palace staff is talking about.

Prince Harry

Unlike his older brother, Prince Harry has been involved in a controversy or two. His reputation as the royal bad boy preceded him for years, and he caused many a scandal within the Royal Family. However, he was also a respected Apache helicopter pilot, and was deployed in Afghanistan, rounding out his image. In recent years, the Prince has seemed to transform from the wild palace boy to a polite and and admirable prince, cementing his new image with his marriage to Meghan Markle.

The Queen

The Queen of England has many admirers and is a role model to many. This powerful woman was only 25-years-old when she unexpectedly became the queen in 1952, and she had to quickly learn how to be the leader of a changing society. Now, at age 92, Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning British monarch, and has charmed the world with her wisdom, her sense of humor, and her grace. We all look up to this incredible woman, but she’s not the palace favorite either.

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice

There are a number of other royals who, although they are further from the throne, are still well known. Two of the most notable are Princess Eugenie and her sister, Princess Beatrice. These two cousins of Princes William and Harry are not working royals, which means that they do not carry out tasks on behalf of the queen, but they are recognized and admired. In fact, they have been known to steal the show with their choice of hats. Princess Eugenie is set to get married in October, 2018.

The lesser known royals

In addition to Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Queen Elizabeth’s other children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren are always in the picture. These include her daughter Princess Anne and her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, as well as their spouses and children Savannah, Isla, Mia Grace, and Lena Elizabeth. The large family is often together for events and royal affairs, and there is much speculation as to the relationship that they all have with the Queen herself.

The Crown

When historical drama television series The Crown premiered on Netflix, it made the story of the Royal Family a whole lot more accessible for many viewers around the world. The award winning show stars Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith as her husband Prince Philip in the first two seasons. We got a closer look into what life is really like on the throne and fell in love with Queen Elizabeth all over again. It also unexpectedly shed light on who the palace staff’s favorite royal is.

Enjoyed by the Queen

Before we reveal which royal the palace staff reportedly favors, it seems fitting to mention the fact that the show The Crown is reportedly enjoyed by the Queen herself. According to Vanessa Kirby, who played Queen Elizabeth’s sister Princess Margaret, Princess Eugenie was overheard at a party saying that her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, watches The Crown. Prince Philip, however, is said not to watch the show because “he can’t be bothered.” Even so, there must be something to it if the Queen enjoys it.

Matt Smith’s research

Speaking of Prince Philip, Matt Smith, who plays Philip on The Crown, is the source of our intelligence about who the favorite royal is. When he was preparing for the role, Matt Smith did a great deal of research in order to portray the Duke of Edinburgh to the best of his ability. Through these investigations, Smith came into contact with many members of the palace staff in order to find out what life is really like there. And that’s where he got the answer to our question.

The favorite royal

According to the palace staff with whom Matt Smith spoke, there is a pretty wide consensus about who is the most popular of the royals – Prince Philip! “In the royal house he’s the most popular of all of them. If you’ve talked to any of the staff, Philip’s the one they all love really,” said Smith when asked about the subject. Smith credits the Duke of Edinburgh’s popularity to the fact that he is more of a “man of the people” with his sense of humor and rebellion.

Prince Philip

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born in Greece, but his family was exiled when he was very young. He then spent time in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom before joining the British Royal Navy when he was 18-years-old. Philip and then-Princess Elizabeth got married in 1947, and when she was crowned queen, Philip gave up his active military service and became the Queen’s consort, accompanying her to ceremonies and supporting her in her duties.

Who is Philip?

Although Prince Philip is painted to be somewhat course and angry, Matt Smith reported that there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding the public’s opinion of the Duke of Edinburgh. Smith said that contrary to what some might think, he is actually described to be very funny, smart, and quite popular. He has been seen at the Queen’s side throughout her entire reign, cracking jokes and making gaffes regularly, endearing himself to the people and the staff.

Why they love him

There are several reasons why Matt Smith reported that the royal staff favor Prince Philip over the other members of the Royal Family. Philip is said to be more open with them, goofing around and joking. He is not overshadowed by the royal protocol that Queen Elizabeth and the others in line for the throne must follow, which gives him space for “rebellion” and “cheekiness.” This makes him more relatable than the more stiff and serious royals who have a reputation to uphold.

Philip through the years

By all accounts, the marriage of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth is reported to be one of the strongest royal marriages in history. However, Prince Philip has had his share of controversies over the years. He was upset by the fact that the name of the royal house would not be his surname, Mountbatten, since traditionally, women take the surname of their husband when they are married. Later, Queen Elizabeth declared that her descendents with no royal title would receive the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, in order to placate her husband.

The future of The Crown

Although our intel on Prince Philips comes from Matt Smith, he has now finished his time portraying the Duke of Edinburgh. As the royals age in the series, the actors are being replaced, and British actor Tobias Menzies will take over playing the popular character. Of course, the real Prince Philip couldn’t care less about the series. We’re just thankful that Smith was able to give us the scoop before he finished his stint playing the popular royal.

He does what he wants

According to Matt Smith, Prince Philip is a very special guy. In an interview, Smith said that the Duke of Edinburgh has “done what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, with whom he wants. And his wife’s the Queen.” According to Buckingham Palace, Philip carried out 22,219 official engagements from the time Elizabeth became the queen until he retired from service. He has been largely absent from the public eye lately, but he did make an appearance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Philip now

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is now 97 years old. He retired from his royal duties in August 2017, when he was 96. He has four children with Queen Elizabeth and accomplished a great deal during his lifetime, including serving in the Royal Navy, learning to fly a plane, and helping to expand the sport of carriage racing. He is famous for speaking bluntly and sometimes offensively, and many of his funniest quips have gone down in history, alongside his great achievements.